Ken Dodd: Another Audience with Ken Dodd (2002) as Writer
A Question of Entertainment (1988) as Himself
The Ken Dodd Show (1959-1969) as Writer
Short Info
Mark
Protruding buck teeth
Fact
Dodd was a supporter of the Conservatives under Margaret Thatcher and campaigned during the 1979 general election campaign, which first brought her to power. In the last rally, in Wembley Arena, he introduced her on to the stage.
Ken Dodd is a British comedian, singer and writer. He was born on the 8th of November, 1927 in Knotty Ash, Liverpool, England. His parents were Arthur and Sarah Dodd. He has two sisters, June and Patricia. Ken Dodd was educated at Didsbury County Grammar School and the Liverpool College of Art.
Ken Dodd’s career began in the early 1950s when he started working as a stand-up comedian in music halls and clubs. He soon developed his own unique style of comedy, which combines witty one-liners with long, convoluted jokes. Ken Dodd has also appeared in several films and television programmes, including The Ken Dodd Show (1965-66), Ken Dodd’s World of Laughter (1972) and An Audience with Ken Dodd (1982).
Ken Dodd has been married twice. His first wife was Anne Jones, whom he married in 1965. They had one child together, a son named Nicholas. Ken Dodd’s second wife is Marion Smiley, whom he married in 2002. They have no children together.
Ken Dodd has an estimated net worth of $5 million. His salary is not known. However, he has earned significant amounts of money from his comedy shows, films and television programmes.
Ken Dodd is 1.83 m tall and of average build. He has blue eyes and grey hair.
General Info
Full Name
Ken Dodd
Profession
Singer-songwriter, Comedian, Actor, Songwriter, Love Is Like a Violin, Tears, Let Me Cry on Your Shoulder
Nationality
British
Family
Parents
Arthur Dodd, Sarah Dodd, Love Is Like a Violin, Tears, Let Me Cry on Your Shoulder
Siblings
June Dodd, William Dodd, Love Is Like a Violin, Tears, Let Me Cry on Your Shoulder
Partner
Anne Jones, Anne Jones
Accomplishments
Awards
The British Comedy Academy Lifetime Achievement Award, British Comedy Award for Best Variety Performer, Love Is Like a Violin, Tears, Let Me Cry on Your Shoulder
Nominations
NME Award for World Male Singer, NME Award for World Musical Personality, NME Award for British Male Singer, NME Award for Best New Disc Of The Year, NME Award for British Vocal Personality, Love Is Like a Violin, Tears, Let Me Cry on Your Shoulder
Movies
Alice in Wonderland, Hamlet
TV Shows
The Ken Dodd Laughter Show, Ken Dodd's World of Laughter, Doddy's Music Box, Ken Dodd's Showbiz, Ken Dodd In 'Funny You Should Say That', A Question Of Entertainment, The Ken Dodd Show, Ken Dodd and the Diddymen
Carries a feather duster around, he refers to it as a "Tickling Stick"
Quotes
#
Quote
1
How tickled I am!
Facts
#
Fact
1
In 2006, Ken Dodd appeared at the Royal Variety Performance in front of Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, where he reprised some of his famous jokes, including those about tax accountants as well as singing his famous song "Happiness".
2
Dodd is renowned for the length of his performances, and during the 1960s he earned a place in the Guinness Book of Records for the world's longest ever joke-telling session: 1,500 jokes in three and a half hours (7.14 jokes per minute), undertaken at a Liverpool theatre, where audiences were observed to enter the show in shifts.
3
In the 1960s his fame in the UK was such that he rivalled The Beatles as a household name, with his recording of "Tears" being the UK's third best selling single of the 1960s.
4
At the age of seven, he was dared by his school friends to ride his bike with his eyes shut. He accepted the dare, crashed and received facial injuries which resulted in his distinctive buck teeth.
5
Dodd's stand-up comedy style is fast and relies on the rapid delivery of one-liner jokes. He has claimed that his comic influences include other Liverpool comedians like Arthur Askey, Robb Wilton, Tommy Handley and the "cheeky chappy" from Brighton, Max Miller.
6
Dodd was made an honorary fellow of the University of Chester on 4 November 2009, having been awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Letters at a graduation ceremony in Chester Cathedral. His doctorate was presented by Gerald Grosvenor, 6th Duke of Westminster. He was awarded a Doctorate of Letters at Liverpool Hope University on 25 January 2010 during the university's Foundation Day celebrations.
7
Dodd was a supporter of the Conservatives under Margaret Thatcher and campaigned during the 1979 general election campaign, which first brought her to power. In the last rally, in Wembley Arena, he introduced her on to the stage.
8
Dodd has had two long-term fiancées, but has never married. A stalker, Ruth Tagg, who harassed Dodd and his girlfriend Anne Jones (who is also a current support act, named 'Sybie' Jones), sending threatening letters and a dead rat, attempted to burn down his house by pushing burning rags through the letterbox in October 2001. Tagg pleaded guilty to harassment and arson at Preston Crown Court.
9
A statue depicting Dodd with his feather duster was unveiled in Lime Street Station, Liverpool on 11 June 2009.
10
Dodd became one of the rare entertainers to be given a second show of An Audience with... which he did in Another audience with Ken Dodd in 2002.
11
In July 2010, the regional UK airline Eastern Airways named one of their Jetstream 41 aircraft after Dodd, in celebration of one year of scheduled services to Liverpool, and the support that Dodd shows for the region and in particular the airport.
12
In 2012 at the age of 84, he played the Princes Theatre in Clacton-on-Sea, Essex on 7 July. Starting at 7.15pm he continued until just before 9.00pm when Sybie Jones took to the stage. Returning at 9.30pm he continued until 10.00pm. The second support act performed until Dodd's return just before 11.00pm when he continued until 00.25am. As of 2016 Dodd continues to tour extensively.
13
In a 2005 poll of comedians and comedy insiders to find the 'Comedians' Comedian', Dodd was voted amongst the 'Top 50 Comedy Acts Ever', ranked as number 36.
14
A guest at the Royal Variety Performance in 1986.
15
Visiting theatres in the north of England as part of the Christmas leg of this year's 'Happiness Show' tour. [December 2003]
16
His famous protruding buck teeth are the result of a childhood accident when his friends dared him to ride his bicycle with his eyes shut. The bike hit a kerb and Ken hit the ground, landing on his face.
17
In 1989 he was charged with tax evasion. Thanks to the work of George Carman QC who defended him, he was acquitted. For a while afterwards he used the experience in his stage acts, introducing himself by saying "Good evening, my name is Kenneth Arthur Dodd: singer, photographic playboy and failed accountant".
18
He was awarded the OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) in the 1982 Queen's New Year Honours List for his services to entertainment and to charity.
19
Dan Young gave Dodd his first break in show business.
20
Had a UK number one hit in the sixties with 'Tears'.
Pictures
Movies
Writer
Title
Year
Status
Character
Ken Dodd: Another Audience with Ken Dodd
2002
TV Special documentary
Ken Dodd: Live Laughter Tour
1996
Video documentary script
Ken Dodd: An Audience with Ken Dodd
1994
TV Special documentary uncredited
Showbiz
1982
TV Series
The Ken Dodd Laughter Show
1979
TV Series devised by - 6 episodes
World of Laughter
1974
TV Series devised by - 2 episodes
The Ken Dodd Show
1960-1969
TV Series script - 31 episodes
Doddy's Music Box
1967
TV Series
Actor
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Canterbury Tales
2000
TV Series
Alice in Wonderland
1999
TV Movie
Mr Mouse
Hamlet
1996
Yorick
Dennis the Menace
1996
TV Series
Sir Fitz-Patrick Flush
The Stuart Hall Show
1994
TV Series
Doctor Who
1987
TV Series
Tollmaster
Showbiz
1982
TV Series
Funny You Should Say That
1972
TV Series
Points North
1958
TV Series
Red Riding Hood
1955
TV Movie
Jolly Jenkins
Soundtrack
Title
Year
Status
Character
American Swing
2008
Documentary performer: "Happiness"
Alice in Wonderland
1999
TV Movie performer: "What Am I Going To Talk About?"
